New CCM Chief Blasts Duff, Fasano In New Strategy

Joe DeLong, the new executive director of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

Joe DeLong, the new executive director of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

(Andrew M. Duehren)

ANDREW M. DUEHREN

Joe DeLong, the new executive director of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, rebuked legislative leaders from both parties at the organization's annual meeting Thursday, saying that this year's legislative session represented a failure of leadership.

DeLong singled out Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, a Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, a Republican, for their approach to crafting this year's budget. DeLong argued that partisan politicking and jockeying had superseded the creation of better legislation.

"I don't want to be at that table because that table is boring and it's tired and it's unproductive," DeLong said about this year's legislative process. "That's a fact."

DeLong painted a dire picture of the Connecticut political realm in his address.

"We have to talk about these elephants in the room because the state of Connecticut is starving - starving for leadership," DeLong said.

"Doesn't matter what the cost is, doesn't matter where the money's going to come from, if you're a special-interest labor working group, you can count on me to be in your corner no matter what. That was our majority leader's message," DeLong said.

Duff said that he didn't know DeLong, who started his new job at CCM in April.

"I will say that Joe DeLong, as far as I know, is new to CCM, and I don't know him at all, and I certainly think that we should have a much more constructive relationship and that if he had something critical to say he would say it to me personally," Duff said Thursday afternoon. "It's my hope that we can all work together in those areas [of municipal aid and property tax reform], and continue to move forward."

A spokesman for Malloy said that the governor's office had not received a specific copy of CCM's concerns, and so it was not able to respond. A spokeswoman from Fasano's office said he was traveling Thursday and unavailable for comment.

DeLong's critical comments focused on the two-year, $40 billion budget passed earlier this month by the General Assembly. Although the budget features increases in municipal aid and property tax reform, both meant to benefit towns and cities, CCM maintains that the specifics of the legislation could be improved.